Franco Malerba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Franco Egidio Malerba
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| Member of the European Parliament | |
| In office 19 July 1994 – 19 July 1999 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 October 1946 Busalla, Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, Italy |
| Political party | Forza Italia |
| Space career | |
| ASI astronaut | |
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Time in space
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7d 23h 15m |
| Selection | 1989 ESA Group |
| Missions | STS-46 |
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Mission insignia
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Franco Egidio Malerba (born 10 October 1946) is an Italian astronaut and Member of the European Parliament. He made history as the first citizen of Italy to travel to space. Later, he served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 1999.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Franco Malerba was born in Busalla, Italy. He completed his high school education in 1965. He then went on to study at the University of Genoa.
- In 1970, he earned a university degree in Electronics Engineering. He focused on telecommunications.
- In 1974, he received a Doctor in Physics degree. This was after doing research in Italy and the United States.
Space and Science Work
Franco Malerba has a strong background in science and space. He has worked on many interesting projects.
Early Research Activities
From 1970 to 1975, Franco worked as a research assistant. He studied how living cells work at the Italian National Research Council (CNR). He also spent time at the National Institutes of Health in the USA. There, he designed tools to study how our eyes see light.
Joining the European Space Agency
In 1977, the European Space Agency (ESA) chose Dr. Malerba. He was one of four candidates for the first Spacelab mission. After this, he joined ESA's team. He helped develop and test a science experiment called ES020 - PICPAB. This experiment studied plasma physics in space. It flew on the Spacelab mission in 1983.
Working in Industry
Before becoming an astronaut, Franco Malerba worked for Digital Equipment. This was a big computer company. From 1976 to 1989, he held various technical and management roles. He worked on computer networks and telecommunications technology across Europe.
Military Service
Franco Malerba also served in the Italian Navy (Marina Militare). In 1974-1975, he was an officer. He taught science at the Naval Academy. He also worked on special communication systems.
Other Skills
Franco Malerba has a private pilot license, which means he can fly planes. He also has a scuba diving license.
Becoming an Astronaut
In 1989, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and NASA selected Franco Malerba. He was chosen as a Payload Specialist. This meant he would be responsible for specific experiments during a space mission. He then trained at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
First Italian in Space
In September 1991, he was chosen for the TSS-1 Space Shuttle mission. Franco Malerba flew into space on STS-46. This mission took place from 31 July to 7 August 1992. He became the very first Italian citizen to travel to space. After his spaceflight, he continued to work with the Italian Space Agency.
Political Career
After his space journey, Franco Malerba entered politics. In 1994, he was elected to the European Parliament. He represented the Forza Italia party. He served as a Member of the European Parliament until 1999.
Organizations
Franco Malerba is a founding member of the Italian Space Society.
Images for kids
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The mission patch for STS-46, Franco Malerba's space mission.
See also
In Spanish: Franco Malerba para niños
